Snyder spent more than an hour on Wednesday walking through surprised crowds of downtown art-lovers, posing for photos and admiring works large and small.

Starting with fountain-dwelling bears at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Snyder walked across the Pearl Street bridge to admire Sunti Pichetchaiyakal's double sculpture of the former president before checking out giant insects, driftwood sea creatures and seemingly bronzed construction workers at the B.O.B.

“I've seen a lot of really cool art today; this is 'pure Michigan,'” Snyder said before walking through the Grand Rapids Art Museum. “Sometimes we hear criticism of the arts, but look at the excitement here. This is great economic development, with people coming down and eating out and seeing downtown.”

Snyder made reference to ArtPrize in his inaugural address earlier this year, calling it an example if innovation in Michigan.

Artist David Huang offered the governor details of his metalwork named “Numinous Community” in the museum. “He seemed like he was really into it, but I didn't want to talk his ear off,” Huang said.

Snyder walked through Natalie Andrew's artwork made of dangling twine to encounter Zach Matson, 11, who calls himself a “self-professed nerd.” Zach, with his father Mark, grandmother Marleen and brother Tyler asked to pose for a photograph with Snyder, who famously campaigned as “one tough nerd.”

“I think it's pretty cool that the govenor is checking out ArtPrize,” said Mark Matson, who works in Grand Rapids but lives in Lansing. “We love ArtPrize; it's something we looked forward to after last year.”

After getting a good look at six of the top 10 finalists, Snyder declined to say which would earn his vote.